Associate Professor Ronika Power awarded 2019 Crawford Medal

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Associate Professor Ronika Power from Macquarie University’s Department of Ancient History, one of Australia’s foremost experts in bioarcheology, is the recipient of the Australian Academy of the Humanities’ 2019 Max Crawford Medal.

The Medal is Australia’s most prestigious award for achievement and promise in the humanities and it is awarded to an Australia-based, early career scholar for outstanding achievement.

Power’s research focuses on cultural responses to human health and disease, climate change, mass migrations and violence, particularly pertaining to prehistoric periods across Africa and the Mediterranean.

Her lifelong fascination with death and obsession with mummies has led Power to work with human remains from across the world, many dating back 10,000 years to the late Stone Age. Power described it as, “an honour and a privilege – and utterly exhilarating – to work with them and share their stories with the world.”

Power is an enthusiastic public champion for the humanities, and for forging greater connectivity between the humanities and the science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) disciplines. In 2017 she was selected as one of 30 inaugural Superstars of STEM by Science and Technology Australia.

Upon hearing of her award, Power said, “I am profoundly honoured to receive the 2019 Max Crawford Medal from the Australian Academy of the Humanities. In accepting this award, I stand alongside our nation's greatest champions of the arts and culture to celebrate the multifaceted and critical role of the humanities in every aspect of society.

“Drawing on my experiences in Bioarchaeology, I look forward to working with the Fellowship to shine light on the importance of interdisciplinarity in addressing key issues in social, political and environmental sectors, and to build better futures by learning key lessons from the past.”

Australian Academy of the Humanities President Joy Damousi FASSA FAHA said, “On behalf of all Fellows I warmly congratulate Dr Power on her remarkable achievements and her success as this year’s recipient of the Crawford Medal.

“Through this award, the Academy recognises the vital work and contribution of early-career researchers.”

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